Social Programme

Wednesday, 2 September 2009.  Welcome Function, Smart-Casual, Exhibition Area, Southern Sun Cape Sun Hotel.  Included in Full Conference fee only.  Additional tickets, students, day delegates and accompanying persons at an additional fee of ZAR280.  Provisional time: 18h30
Thursday, 3 September 2009.  At leisure
Friday, 4 September 2009.  Cape Malay Theme Dinner, Formal, 3rd Floor, Southern Sun Cape Sun Hotel included in Full Conference fee only.  Additional tickets, students, day delegates and accompanying persons at an additional fee of ZAR400.  Provisional time: 20h00.
Saturday, 5 September 2009.  Full Day Sight Seeing Tour to Spier Wine Estate, Casual/Warm, Departure from reception, Southern Sun Cape Sun Hotel.  Included in Full Conference Fee only. Additional tickets, students, day delegates and accompanying persons at an additional fee of ZAR500.  Provisional time: 10h00. 

Full Day Sight Seeing Tour  - 5 September 2009 includes luxury coach transport with lunch, beverages and entrance fees to all activities will be for the delegates own account.
After an early breakfast we will travel northwards to Stellenbosch.  This is an area surrounded by vineyards, fruit orchards and mountains renowned for a gracious blend of 18th Century Cape Dutch, Georgian and Victorian architecture.
Our destination, Spier Wine Estate, www.spier.co.za in the heart of South Africa's Cape Winelands, is more than an innovative and iconic destination. It is a place of hope that delivers experiences that rejuvenate mind, body and soul.  Delegates are invited to explore the estate at leisure.

The fabric of Spier's rich history was created out of a journey that began in 1692 and has been embroidered for over three centuries. The original Manor House and slave bell, as well as the oldest dated wine cellar in South Africa, have been impeccably restored for future generations to stay in touch with the past.

Art, culture, wine, food, nature and conservation – these are the pillars of the Spier experiences and all are manifest on the estate, giving guests the opportunity to see, smell, hear, feel and taste for themselves the variety of unexpected encounters available at Spier.

   
A fine collection of African art has been deployed throughout the estate. It draws guests into exploring the vibrancy, energy and life of the diverse heritage of the Cape and the African continent, embodying multiple cultures and traditions. Delegates can absorb the power of this collection with ease as they stroll around Spier.
The Manor House (Die Opstal) at Spier was originally built in 1884, and has been beautifully restored to reflect the influences of Dutch, English and French settlers who farmed the region. Now a national monument, it houses a collection of antique furniture and art.
Spier Wines has produced award-winning wines that have won global recognition. The Wine Centre is housed in an original Dutch gabled barn dating back to 1750 and it’s where wines from over 175 local wine estates – including their own – are stocked. Spier offers a selection of formal wine tastings to suit casual drinkers and connoisseurs.
The Spier Tasting is a more relaxed introduction to five wines from Spier’s Discover and Classic ranges. And for the more inquisitive guest there’s the Winelands Select Tasting, which takes place in their historic tasting room. This seated experience provides an introduction to the specifics of wine tasting technique and appreciation. Selections of first reserve and/or limited release wines are tasted. The wine tasting will be for delegates own account.

We will lunch at Moyo at 13h00.  Beverages will be for the delegates own account.  Moyo at Spier is unlike any other restaurant. Bedouin tents and gazebos are placed throughout the garden and create a setting similar to a nomadic African village. This unexpected delight in the Winelands is set to the humming and ululating voices of Third World Bunfight, a performance company known for pushing the boundaries of African art to the limits. 

As one of the entrances into the restaurant, Moyo Retail offers a range of Moyo made products from meticulously crafted mosaic table tops to sophisticated African art and craft. Moyo Retail not only supports known African artists, but gives local community projects a platform to showcase their talents as well.
Take a stroll through the lovely estate. You will be sure to find many surprises. There are walks through the rose gardens at the back of Moyo, by the riverside, by the lakeside. There is an abundance of birdlife on the estate for bird watchers and the opportunity to roam around freely. Take a walk to the Africa Centre meeting spaces on the south bank, or visit their nursery where they are propagating plants to landscape their gardens or check out their Adobe brick-making works.
Spier has made land available to a group of hand-raised cheetahs in the care of the Cheetah Outreach Programme. Learn more about these incredible cats from a distance, or get up close and personal and even step inside an enclosure. Entrance donations help fund the Cheetah Outreach Programme. Donations are for the delegates own account.
Cheetah Outreach assists the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) in their efforts to ensure the survival of the free-ranging cheetah. This is done through education programmes that increase public awareness. Cheetah Outreach was founded by Annie Beckhelling in January 1997 on a hectare of land donated by Spier. An education facility aims to increase global awareness of the cheetah and to raise funds for the centre so it can run independently. Entrance fees are for the delegates own account.
Spier is home to Eagle Encounters Raptor Rehabilitation Centre. Founded in December 2001 by Hank and Tracy Chalmers, Eagle Encounters is a bird of prey rehabilitation, education, conservation and eco-tourism centre. As a self-funded, non-profit establishment, Eagle Encounters relies on the income generated by tourism to drive the numerous programmes it offers.

The long-term vision of the Eagle Encounters project is that the organisation’s helps to preserve the eco-environment by protecting birds of prey through the re-release of rehabilitated birds back into the wild, and through creating community awareness of birds of prey. Watch how ancient falconry techniques are used to train them to hunt. Flying demonstrations are held daily. Entrance fees is for the delegates own account.
Spier's promise to their audience - be they visitors, guests, wine lovers or business partners - is to deliver excellence in all their endeavors. After lunch delegates are once again invited to meander through the Estate before returning to Cape Town late afternoon.

Accompanying Person's Programme

Cape Peninsula Tour - 2 September 2009

Travel along the Atlantic coast past the popular beaches of Clifton, Camps Bay and Llandudno en route to the fishing village of Hout Bay.  Optional (own account) Take a boat cruise to Duiker Island to view a Cape Fur Seal Colony.

Continue over the breathtaking Chapmans Peak

CHAPMANS PEAK DRIVE

Chapman's Peak Drive is one of the most spectacular coastal scenic routes in the world revealing breathtaking views of the sandy bays down below, until the road reaches sea level again at Noordhoek.  The road clings to the mountainside, with a narrow retaining wall separating you from a sheer drop into the sea -- 528 ft down at its highest. It's dizzyingly beautiful, made more so by the fact that the road constantly ducks and weaves. 

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE NATURE RESERVE

Though exposed, often windswept, and less verdant than the rest of the Peninsula, the 7750ha reserve has as many plant varieties as there are in the whole of Britain. In addition to the predominating protea and heath varieties there are numerous endangered species and a few that are found nowhere else. The fauna includes eland, bontebok, rhebok, grysbok, springbok, baboon, porcupine, ostrich and zebra.
       

The principal road through the reserve ends near the summit of Cape Point from where guests have the choice to walk or to take a funicular (own account).

The Funicular travels up the steep slope to the highest point for a panoramic view of False Bay and the Hottentots Holland Mountains beyond and downward, for the vantage point is 209m above the rocks at which point you will witness the meeting of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

The Lighthouse can then be visited which has long been one of the world’s shipping beacons, marking the turning point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

African penguin colony at Boulders Beach is a short hop away from Simons Town.  Guests may wish to stroll down the beach to photograph the penguins after lunch. Continue the journey through Fish Hoek; along Boyes Drive, which offers glorious views of Muizenberg Beach, the False Bay coastline, and the Hottentots Holland Mountains in the background.  

TOUR PRICE PER PERSON:
Minimum 6 pax Microbus = ZAR 765
Maximum 40 people

Robben Island Tour - 3 September 2009

“Never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land shall ever experience
oppression of one by another” - Nelson R. Mandela, 1994

For nearly 400 years, Robben Island, 12 kilometers from Cape Town, was a place of banishment, exile, isolation and imprisonment. It was here that rulers sent those they regarded as political troublemakers, social outcasts and the unwanted of society. During the apartheid years Robben Island became internationally known for its institutional brutality. The duty of those who ran the Island and its prison was to isolate opponents of apartheid and to crush their morale. Some freedom fighters spent more than a quarter of a century in prison for their beliefs. Those imprisoned on the Island succeeded on a psychological and political level in turning a prison 'hell-hole' into a symbol of freedom and personal liberation. Robben Island came to symbolize, not only for South Africa and the African continent, but also for the entire world, the triumph of the human spirit over enormous hardship and adversity.

09h00 Coaches will depart for the Nelson Mandela Gateway, at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. The ferry departs at 10h00. The tour of the island takes approximately 3 ½ hours. This includes the trip to the island and back by ferry as well as a guided tour of 1½ hours on the island. The guided tour includes a visit to the prison, lime quarry, the local village, shipwrecks and a penguin colony.

On returning to the Waterfront enjoy lunch (own account) at leisure to explore the Waterfront. Enjoy the spectacle of buskers, scenic views, great shopping from designer boutiques, accessory shops to gift and foodie stores.

TOUR PRICE PER PERSON:
Minimum 6 pax Microbus = ZAR 875
Maximum 40 people

Footsteps to Freedom - 4 September 2009

Meet the people of Cape Town as you embark on a city orientation tour. Your guide uses the streets of Cape Town as their stage and the attractions as their props, as they tell the story of the city's dramatic past. Learn how Africa, Asia and Europe conspired to create Southern Africa's most cosmopolitan city. From Cape Dutch Architecture to modern avant-garde, downtown Cape Town is booming and the inner city life is transforming. Weather permitting take the Rotair Cable Car to the summit of Table Mountain for breathtaking views over the City Bowl and Cape Peninsula.

Highlights:
Castle of Good Hope, the oldest colonial building in South Africa.
Grand Parade, historical site used for military parades and political meetings in the past.
City Hall, a beautiful example of Italian Renaissance architecture.
District Six Museum, a museum dedicated to keeping alive the memory of District Six, demolished during the apartheid’s group areas act.
St Georges Cathedral, a beautiful Anglican cathedral, known as the people’s cathedral, a place of gathering for protests and vigils during the struggle.
The Houses of Parliament and Company Gardens. 
Entrance Fees Include: The Castle and District Six Museum.
Excludes: Table Mountain Cable Car ticket.

TOUR PRICE PER PERSON:
Minimum 6 pax (incl. transport to CBD) = ZAR 495 (Excluding Table Mt ticket currently @ ZAR 145)
Maximum 40 people

Please note the following:

1.     Prices have been quoted on minimum number per tour. Should these numbers not be obtained the tours will be cancelled.

2.     Price inclusive of Luxury Coach Transportation.  These rates may change if the price of fuel increases dramatically from that of 1 November 2008.

3.     Price inclusive of professional English Speaking Tour Guide where applicable.

4.     Meals have been excluded. 

5.     All bookings subject to availability on confirmation of itinerary.

6.     Times are approximate and may vary.

7.     Tour price per person excludes unless otherwise stated: accommodation, flights, beverages, items of a personal nature.

Pre-Post Tours

Full Day Winelands Tour - 31 August or 6 September 2009

After an early breakfast we will travel northwards to Stellenbosch.  This is an area surrounded by vineyards, fruit orchards and mountains renowned for a gracious blend of 18th Century Cape Dutch, Georgian and Victorian architecture - a haven where visitors will have time to savour the atmosphere of this unique town and its museums.

Dating back to the French Huguenots in 1688 the Cape Winelands offers the visitor a kaleidoscope of stunning scenery and beautiful Cape Dutch architecture. The vineyards are spectacular, producing  “world class” wines for the most discerning taste. 

We will start our wine tasting at the House of J.C. Le Roux . The House of J.C. Le Roux is South Africa’s only cellar dedicated to the craft of making sparkling wine. Located in the heart of the Devon Valley on the outskirts of Stellenbosch, guests will have the opportunity to try their hand at “sabrage” the opening of a Champagne bottle with a sabre.

Visit the second oldest town in South Africa, Stellenbosch established in 1679. The historic streets of Stellenbosch still contain examples of the major building periods from the past and the town breathes an old world atmosphere thanks to the stately oak lined avenues, bordered by babbling water furrows. We will stop at the village museum. This unique museum covers some 5000 square metres. The four buildings illustrates 4 different types of architecture from 4 distinct periods in the historical development of the Cape and are kept as if the residents of the area were still home.

Take the beautifully scenic Hellshoogte pass over to Franschhoek and stop for lunch at a local restaurant. (own account).

After lunch we continue to Fairview for a cheese and wine tasting before returning to Cape Town late afternoon.

PRICE PER PERSON: ZAR 725

A Whale Of A Time - 31 August or 6 September 2009

Depart for one of the Cape’s most beautiful coastal scenic drives to Hermanus.

Set in South Africa’s first proclaimed international biosphere, between majestic mountains, pristine beaches, rocky shores and in the heart of the Fynbos Kingdom it is blessed annually by visiting whales. This little coastal route includes Rooi Els, Pringle Bay and Betty’s Bay.

Our first stop will be the Harold Porter National Botanical Gardens. Located in the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, which boasts 1650 plant species, one of the most diverse Fynbos hotspots in the Cape Floral Kingdom. Enjoy a guided stroll through these beautiful gardens. From the Gardens we will stop at Stony Point to visit the second largest land based African Penguin Colony in the Cape.

Continue on to the seaside town of Hermanus. A popular holiday destination for tourists and locals alike, Hermanus is hailed as offering the best land based whale watching in the world. From May onwards Southern Right Whales pay homage to these warm, shallow waters in order to calf their young and to mate. The best time for whale watching is between August and November and at this time the bay is dotted with whales. More often than not, they're more than happy to put on a performance.

The clifftop vantage point is presided over by the worlds only official “Whale Crier”, whose job it is to alert the public - he carries a horn made of kelp- that the whales have been spotted in the bay.

A light lunch (own account) will be served in the intriguing Bientangs Cave, which is nestled in the base of the cliff and overlooks the beach. It is thought to be the original home of Bientang, said to be the last indigenous strandloper (beach walker) of these parts.

After lunch explore the local market and quaint town with its interesting collection of antique shops, boutiques and art galleries.

Return to the hotel via the breathtaking Sir Lowry’s Pass.

PRICE PER PERSON: ZAR 725

Wild Flowers Along The West Coast - 30 August or 7 September 2009

The arid north-western coastal region of South Africa undergoes a magical transformation in the very early springtime, from late August to October, when this usually dry and thirsty land is turned into a carpet of daisies and succulents as far as the eye can see: one of God's greatest impressionistic works!
We will visit the West Coast Ostrich Farm, experience a tribal village and after visiting the old Moravian Mission station of Mamre, we land up in the aptly named town of Darling, a quaint and very beautiful town, also home to South Africa's famous satirist Pieter Dirk Uys and his famous Evita Se Perron restaurant.
From Darling we visit the West Coast National Park and Postberg Nature Reserve.
The West Coast National Park, with the tranquil Langebaan Lagoon as its focal point, is situated some 100 km north of Cape Town. The seemingly harsh and forsaken landscape is, in fact, filled with natural wonders.
During spring the arid landscape transforms into a colourful carpet of spring flowers where a variety of mammals such as eland, blue wildebeest, gemsbok and many others graze peacefully against a backdrop of booming breakers, silver-white beaches and ancient black boulders.
Enjoy a packed lunch in the reserve or stop off at a quaint restaurant in the holiday town of Langebaan. (own account)
Return to Cape Town via Bloubergstrand, with the majesty of Table Mountain welcoming us back to the mother city.

PRICE PER PERSON: ZAR 725

A Wilderness Game Experience - 30 August or 7 September 2009

The Aquila Private Game Reserve stands in an area of 4,500 hectares of Southern Karoo Highlands encapsulating breathtaking majestic mountains, rivers and valleys. It is home to Cape Town's closest Rhino & Giraffes and was proclaimed a private Nature Reserve in 1985.

• A representative of Aquila Private Game Reserve will meet you at your Hotel, travel via the scenic Du Toitskloof Pass and endless winelands to Aquila Private Game Reserve
• A welcome cocktail and breakfast will be served whilst you relax by the rock swimming pool
• From there you depart on a three-hour game drive with one of the experienced rangers and visit the world-renowned Khoi San Bushmen rock art sites
• Snacks and refreshments will be served on the game drive whilst soaking in the panoramic view of the Reserve
• Lunch is served in the restaurant or outdoor African Lapa (weather permitting)
• Afternoon at leisure before we return to Cape Town at approximately 17h00.

PRICE PER PERSON: ZAR 2 415

Overnight Pre and Post Conference Tours

Golf Experience - 30 August to 1 September 2009

    
Includes:

• Return Transfer from Cape Town CBD hotel or Cape Town International Airport to the Western Cape Hotel and Spa
• 2 nights accommodation in Standard Deluxe Room
• Breakfast at Jamani restaurant
• 1 round of golf per person per stay
• Unlimited access to the Arabella Spa, sauna, steam room, hydro pool, gymnasium.

Situated  1 hours drive from Cape Town, The Western Cape Hotel and Spa invites you to exhale deeply in a leisure environment celebrated for its natural beauty, outstanding hotel accommodation and unfaltering service. Enjoy a 2 night stay on this exquisite golf estate, including a round of golf per person.

In this beautiful natural setting, you will find the championship Arabella Golf Estate. The Arabella golf course is ranked by Complete Golfer magazine as the number one golf course in the Western Cape. It is also featured in Golf Digest USA’s Top 60 courses outside of America in 2007.

Designed and built in 1999 by celebrated South African golf course architect Peter Matkovich, who is also credited with the design of Western Cape courses de Zalze and Steenberg, this classic parkland course has spectacular views across the Bot River lagoon and across the Kogelberg mountain range.

In addition to the attraction of golf the hotel offers an international award winning Spa. Attractions in the area include award winning wine estates in the Hemel en Aarde Valley, Harold Porter Botanical Gardens, unspoilt beaches, land based whale watching in season (July to November), shark diving and the popular holiday resort of Hermanus.
A unique golfing experience in the Cape.

COST PER PERSON SHARING: ZAR 7 950
SINGLE: ZAR 14 850

 Aquila Safari Experience - 6 to 7 September 2009

 
Includes:

• Return transfer to the game reserve
• Welcome drink
• Buffet breakfast
• 2 x 3 hour game drive (option of horse safari)
• Buffet lunch
• Dinner
• Local wine and malt beverages
• Overnight in Premier Cottage

Over the years, Aquila Private Game Reserve has gone to great efforts and expense to source and re-introduce wildlife into the Cape region so that local residents and visitors alike can benefit from the same and therefore we are proud to offer a safari experience close to Cape Town.
Proclaimed a Nature Reserve in 1985, the “veld” is in pristine condition, consisting of Renoster veld, Mountain Fynbos and Succulent vegetation types found in 3 beautiful valleys. Situated in the Karoo with it’s wide open spaces, the 4500 ha reserve has a natural wetland, magnificent mountains and valleys which makes for varied and ideal game viewing.
Aquila has the Big 5, free roaming elephant, Lion, Buffalo, Rhino and rare Mountain Leopard and is also home to Giraffe and Hippo. Large herds of game are found on the Reserve such as Black Wildebeest, Burchell's Zebra, Springbok, Gemsbok, Steenbok, Caracal (lynx), Blesbok, Bat Eared Fox, Ostriches, Klip Springer, Duiker, Greybuck, Baboon, Black Backed Jackal, Eland, Red Hartebeest.
COST PER PERSON SHARING: ZAR 5 050
SINGLE ZAR 7 450

Please note the following:

• Prices have been quoted on minimum number per tour. Should these numbers not be obtained the tours will be cancelled.
• Price inclusive of Luxury Coach Transportation. These rates may change if the price of fuel increases dramatically from that of 1 November 2008.
• Price inclusive of professional English Speaking Tour Guide where applicable.
• Meals have been excluded unless stated otherwise.
• All bookings subject to availability on confirmation of itinerary.
• Times are approximate and may vary.
• Tour price per person excludes unless otherwise stated: accommodation, flights, beverages, items of a personal nature